The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-11-19

ing on the Sabbath till after the morning
prayers of the synagogue. The disciples be-
ing hungry ate the grain. which they rubbed
out of the heads with their hands. This they
were permitted to do by the law (Deuteron-
omy xiii. 25). It was unlawful to harvest
to reap or thresh grain on the Sabbath day.
the day of holy rest. The rabbis in defining
what kinds of labor were forbidden by the
law, decided that pluckipg the heads and
separating the grain from the chaff. was a
kind of reaping and threshing, and SO were
violations of the law of the Sabbath. The
Pharisees who observed the disciples pluck
and eat the grain, accusingly said to JESUS,
"Behold your disciples are doing what it is
unlawful to do on the Sabbath day." JESUS
justified the action of his disciples by refer
ence to an instance in the career of David,
Israel's most pious king: "Have you not
read, LITERALLY, "Did you not read,"-he
said, as though the passage Il Samuel xxi.)
had been read that very day in the syna-
gogue. The reference was to David, who
when he was fleeing from the murderous an
ger of Saul, came to Mob, where the taberna-
Gle was, and being hungry induced the high
priests to give him and his attendants to eat
the sacred loaves, which it was not lawful
for any one but the priests to eat
The showbredd was the bread that was
kept in the golden table in the Holy Place.
1t consisted of twelve loaves, corresponding
to the number of the tribes of Israel. The
loaves were arranged in two rows" or
piles, and were to be renewed weekly on the
Go hath 10 ho of
by the priests and within the sanctuary Lee
viticus xiv. 5-9). They we're called in He
brew the bread of the Face, or the b. cad of
the Presence. 1t was a significant and
sublime symbolism, when interpreted as de-
noting not the provision made for JEHovAH's
food, but the provision which JEHOVAH makes
for His peoples food. He is the LORD, their
Provider.-Jomes Morrison, ID. d.
1t was admitted by all that for David and
his attendants to eat the hallowed bread was
justifable on the ground of necessity; and if
the law about the hallowed bread might be
set aside by necessity, 80 might the law about
the hallowed day, was JESUS argument
"The Sabbath was made on mans accounts"
it exists for the benefit of mankind, and 80
it may be temporarily set aside by any i'm
perative necessity. Human need is stronger
than a ceremonial law. Man is superior to
an institution.
Another ground of justification for his dis
ciples was drawn from the law itself. The
priests of the temple were authorized to per-
form even double sacrifices on the Sabbath
day, though they were obliged to do what
was otherwise forbidden. The temple and
its worship were of more Importance than
the Sabbath, and so any labor that was nee
essary for worship was justiiable according
to the law. JESUS declares that there is some
thing even greater than the temple and its
worship. The reign of the Messiah is the re-
atty which they symbolic. Any labor which
his servants might perform in the pursuit of
their ministry would be more than justified
by the law governing the temple service
The temple was but the Fathers house; he
was the Fathers Son. His own divine per-
sonaity was a nobler and truer temple of
the living GoD than was any temple made
with hands. In the service of the true tenn
Pile, as in all acceptable service of GoD, mer-
cy and not sacrifice is required. If the &C.
cusing Pharisees had known the meaning of
the Scriptures they protested to obey and
teach, they would not have condemned the
blameless disciple of JESUS. The law of love
supersedes the law of commandment. "The
Son of Man is master of the Sabbath" and
the needs of humanity and the principles of
truth and righteousness determine its proper
observance.